Winter Flu Jabs Begin: What Families and Pregnant Women Need to Know

What happened

The NHS in England has started giving out free flu jabs for the winter ahead. The programme opened on 1 September 2026, and the first people being invited are children and pregnant women. NHS England announced the start of the rollout on 1 September. School-aged children, children who are aged 2 or 3, and women at any stage of pregnancy can all get the vaccine now. Most school-aged children are offered a nasal spray rather than an injection, so there is no needle involved for many of them. Other groups will be invited a little later. From 1 October 2026, the NHS will begin vaccinating people aged 65 and over, adults with certain long-term health conditions, care home residents, carers, people who live with someone whose immune system is weakened, people experiencing homelessness, and frontline health and social care staff. There is also news on RSV, a common virus that can be serious for babies and older people. From 1 September, the RSV vaccine is being offered to more people, including pregnant women and people aged 65 to 74 who have a weakened immune system or certain long-term lung conditions. Dr Amanda Doyle, National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England, said: "Flu can really knock you for six, and for some children and pregnant women it can mean becoming seriously ill or ending up in hospital." Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said: "Vaccinations play a vital role in protecting those most at risk from flu and they are also crucial for relieving pressures on our NHS over the winter months."

Why this matters

Flu is not the same as a heavy cold. For most healthy adults it means a miserable week in bed. But for some people it can turn into something far more serious, such as a chest infection, and it can land them in hospital. Young children and pregnant women are two of the groups most likely to become very unwell with flu. That is exactly why the NHS starts with them, several weeks before it opens the programme to everyone else. Starting early gives the vaccine time to work before flu really begins to spread, which usually happens in December and January. There is a second reason the timing matters. Vaccinating children does not only protect the children themselves. Children mix closely at school and pass viruses around quickly, so protecting them helps slow the spread to grandparents, babies and people with health conditions. Winter is also the hardest time of year for the NHS. Every person who avoids a hospital bed because they did not catch flu is a bed that stays free for someone else. NHS England estimates that flu vaccination helped avoid around 104,000 hospital admissions last year. If you are a parent, the practical point is simple. The letter or consent form from your child's school is not junk mail. It is the thing that gets your child protected.

What the evidence actually says

It is worth being honest about what a flu jab can and cannot do. The flu vaccine does not guarantee you will never catch flu. Flu viruses change from year to year, and each year's vaccine is designed to match the strains expected to circulate. Some years the match is closer than others. So it is quite possible to have the vaccine and still get flu. What the vaccine reliably does is reduce your chances of catching it, and reduce how ill you become if you do. That second part is the one people often overlook. The difference between a rough week at home and a hospital admission is a very big difference indeed. The scale of last winter's programme gives a sense of how normal this now is. Nearly 19 million people in England had a flu jab last winter, according to NHS England. That is not a small trial. That is a very large number of ordinary people, and the estimate of around 104,000 avoided hospitalisations comes from that real-world experience rather than from a laboratory. On pregnancy, the advice is clear and long-standing: the flu vaccine is recommended at any stage of pregnancy. It protects the pregnant woman, and antibodies also pass to the baby, giving newborns some protection in their first months when they are too young to be vaccinated themselves. One honest caveat: this article describes the programme in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own schedules, and the dates and eligible groups can differ slightly.

Qurexa perspective

At Qurexa we deliver prescriptions and support people with taking their medicines across Lincolnshire, so we see the practical side of winter every year. The group being invited from 1 October includes many of the people we serve: those aged 65 and over, and adults living with long-term conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or respiratory illness. For some of them, the hardest part of a vaccination programme is not the decision. It is the journey. If getting out is difficult for you or someone you care for, it is worth asking your GP practice what options exist locally. Some practices run clinics at times that are easier for people with mobility problems, and housebound patients can often be vaccinated at home. Ask early rather than late, because those slots fill up. We would also gently say this: a flu jab works best alongside the medicines you already take. If a long-term condition is well controlled, you are in a stronger position going into winter. If you have fallen behind on a repeat prescription, now is a good moment to sort it out, before the winter rush. We are not a substitute for your GP or pharmacist, and we would never suggest otherwise. But keeping medicines arriving reliably is one small thing that makes the rest of winter easier.

Practical advice

Here are the straightforward steps. **If you have children.** Watch for a consent form from your child's school, and return it. If your child is 2 or 3, contact your GP practice, as pre-school children are usually vaccinated there. If your child is in a clinical risk group, from 6 months up to 18 years, speak to your GP. **If you are pregnant.** You can have the flu jab at any stage of pregnancy. Ask your midwife, GP practice or a participating pharmacy. You may also be offered the RSV vaccine, which helps protect your baby after birth. **If you are 65 or over, or have a long-term condition.** Your turn begins on 1 October. You do not need to do anything dramatic now, but it is sensible to note the date and book when invited. **If you care for someone.** Carers are eligible from 1 October. So are people who live with someone whose immune system is weakened. Do not assume you are not on the list. **Where to go.** Flu jabs are available through GP practices, many community pharmacies, and school sessions for school-aged children. The NHS also runs an online booking system. **If you are unsure whether you qualify.** Ask. A pharmacist can usually tell you in a couple of minutes, and it costs nothing to check.

What to know

The NHS winter flu programme in England opened on 1 September 2026, starting with children and pregnant women. Everyone else who is eligible, including people aged 65 and over, adults with long-term conditions, carers and frontline health and care staff, will be invited from 1 October 2026. The RSV vaccine is also being offered to more people from 1 September. The vaccine is free for those who are eligible, it is not a guarantee against catching flu, and its main value is reducing how seriously ill you become. Nearly 19 million people in England were vaccinated last winter, and NHS England estimates around 104,000 hospitalisations were avoided. The single most useful action right now: if a consent form comes home from school, fill it in and send it back. If you are pregnant, mention the flu jab at your next appointment. Sources: NHS England, "NHS kicks off flu jabs for children and pregnant women ahead of winter", 1 September 2026, https://www.england.nhs.uk/2026/09/nhs-kicks-off-flu-jabs-for-children-and-pregnant-women-ahead-of-winter/ | NHS England, "Flu Vaccination Programme 2026/27", 2026, https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/flu-vaccination-programme-2026-27/ | NHS England, "NHS urges those eligible to book a flu jab ahead of this winter season", August 2026, https://www.england.nhs.uk/2026/08/nhs-urges-those-eligible-to-book-a-flu-jab-ahead-of-this-winter-season/ This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist, midwife or other qualified healthcare professional. If you have questions about whether a vaccine is right for you or your child, please speak to your GP practice or pharmacist.